After claiming there will be ?a lot more new arrivals in the summer? following a second successive defeat at Highfield Road, Gary McAllister has clearly got half an eye on rebuilding for next season.

That does not mean, however, that he has given up on promotion, but merely underlines the current deficiencies his side are racked with.

But if one thing is keeping the torch burning brightly in the race for a playoff finish, it is the fact that their rivals are also stumbling around them, remarkably leaving City still only three points off sixth-placed Reading despite not having managed to win a game this year.

?We don?t want to let things slip and there is no way we are going to allow any thoughts of not making the playoffs to creep in,? said the player-manager after seeing his side lose out to another single goal on home soil - this time from a free first-half header by Burnley centre-half Ian Cox.

?We know we are capable of putting a run together but we also know we are capable of going through a period of games without winning, and that?s happened this season as well.

?But we are fortunate to be playing in a league where you can lose X amount of games and still be involved, so we are still in there fighting and working hard.

?We are disappointed to lose. We are on a little bad run and it?s another disappointing result at home, and I am running out of things to say.

?But I thought Gary Caldwell added a bit to the midfield and did well along with Craig Pead, battling away there. We can work on our quality and be better, but I don?t think you can fault the effort out there. I gave them 10 out of 10 for that, but we can be better.?

McAllister was spot on with his assessment of his players? determination and passion to get something from the game.

But as a man who was surrounded by world class players in his last two seasons, he must be extremely frustrated playing in a side which has been struggling to score goals most of the season.

The Sky Blues? biggest failing in recent weeks, however, has been the midfield which has lacked bite and anyone - other than the inspirational player manager himself - to put their foot on the ball and play the right pass rather than squandering possession.

And in Caldwell, who moved into the middle of the park from right-back after City were unsuccessful in getting Vicente Engonga?s international clearance through, they discovered a player who could do just that.

The Newcastle United loan man, who joined the club as a centre-half and was quickly shifted out wide, slotted in to his new role as if he had been playing there for years.

He was particularly effective in the first half when he created space for McAllister to weave his magic, and created chances himself with a number of incisive forward balls - the best of which fell to Gary McSheffrey who was denied by the first of two outstanding saves by keeper Nik Michopoulos.

The second came a minute after City conceded the 35th-minute decider, when the impressive Andrew Whing drilled a ferocious shot at goal on his debut. The 18-year-old right-back, who has come up through the academy ranks, never put a foot wrong in an extremely mature performance.

?We introduced another young player and I am very proud of him because I thought he was excellent, especially when we went a goal behind when I thought he improved from then,? said McAllister.

?We are looking to keep introducing the young players but we have still got to maintain a threat in this league.?

Coventry had looked the better of the two sides in the opening half an hour but the Clarets enjoyed a good five minutes before the poorly defended goal, and could have increased their lead just before the break when attacker Ian Moore forced Morten Hyldgaard into a full-length save.

The second half saw both sides squander three early corners apiece, but considering City had 11 in total throughout the game, they got scant return from the flag kicks which clearly need work.

But the home team gained momentum as the half went on as a sense of urgency crept in and the fans, who were almost 4,000 down on the previous week, did their bit in attempting to lift the players and trying to persuade the referee to give a penalty in each half - both decisions which McAllister later conceded the official had got right.

Richie Partridge replaced the hard working but ineffective David Pipe, Jay Bothroyd came on for the disappointing Dean Holdsworth and Calum Davenport injected a bit of life at the expense of full-back Barry Quinn.

Partridge caused problems with his direct running but Bothroyd never really got into the game, while Davenport got stuck in and, although forming part of a back three as City threw another man forward, the defender was a threat in the box where he hit the bar with three minutes to go.

But as City bombarded Burnley?s area, the central defensive pairing of goal scorer Cox and Drissa Diallo held firm before the game reached a stoppage time climax when McAllister forced a save at the near post and McSheffrey hit an upright.

Having managed just one goal in their last four games - a last-gasp equaliser by Juan Sara at Forest - Coventry are once again desperately light up front whereMcSheffrey looks their only threat.

Sara picked up an injury in training but the manager admitted that he would not have been involved on Saturday even if he had been fit, due to the fact that he is struggling with his form.

So having made improvements to the midfield, goals must now take priority if McAllister is to keep his play-off dream alive.